THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF INSECTS AS A CLASS. 559 



tiou by the Rev. Dr. Bethune, of Cauada, many years ago, of the 

 desirability of importing the European parasite of the wheat midge 

 into America was probably the first published international suggestion 

 of this nature, and, although some subsequent correspondence between 

 English and American entomologists ensued, no parasites were actually 

 sent over. Later, attempts were made by LeBaron in the case of a 

 parasite of the oyster- shell bark louse of the apple, and by Professor 

 Riley in the case of a parasite of the plum curculio, to transport para- 

 sites from one section of the United States to another, both attempts 

 meeting with some slight success. 



In 1873 Planchon and Riley introduced an American predatory mite, 

 winch feeds in this country on the grape vine Phylloxera, into France, 

 where it became established, but where it accomplished no appreciable 

 results in the way of checking the spread of this famous vine pest. 



In 1874 efforts were made to send certain parasites of plant lice from 

 England to New Zealand, without recorded results of value. 



In 1880, in an article upon the parasites of American scale insects, 

 the writer snowed that international transportation is especially easy 

 and especially desirable in the case of these insects. 



In 1883 Dr. Riley succeeded in importing a common European para- 

 site of the imported cabbage worm into this country, where it estab- 

 lished itself and has since proved to be a valuable addition to our 

 fauna. 



In 1891 the same distinguished entomologist brought about the impor- 

 tation of one of the. European parasites of the Hessian fly through the 

 assistance of Mr. Fred. Enock, of London. This parasite maintained 

 itself in this country certainly as late as 1895, but has accomplished no 

 appreciable good, so far as has been ascertained, in limiting the increase 

 of this destructive enemy to wheat. 



All previous experiments of this nature were dwarfed into insignifi- 

 cance by the astounding success of the importation of Nonius ( Vedalia) 

 cardinalis, a ladybird beetle, from Australia into California in 1889. 

 This importation was made, as will be remembered, by Mr. Albert 

 Koebele, an attache of the Division of Entomology of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, whose expenses, however, were 

 paid out of a fund appropriated to the Department of State, for the 

 purpose of securing a representation from this country to the Mel- 

 bourne Exposition. A California man, the late Mr. Frank McCoppin, 

 happened to be at the head of the exposition commission; and, while 

 the late Dr. C. V. Riley was endeavoring in Washington to induce the 

 Department of State to set aside a sum from the exposition fund for 

 the expenses of Mr. Koebele, representatives of the State board of 

 horticulture of California were pressing the same facts upon Mr. Mc- 

 Coppin, the head of the commission. These efforts were made inde- 

 pendently and without consultation, hence it happened that after Mr. 

 Koebele had succeeded in sending live Vedalias to California, and 



